Cream-separator and churn.



A. PAY.4 CREAM SEPARATOR AND GHURN.

APPLIGANON FILED PEB. 1s, 1911. Y

l 1,057,335, Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

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nUNXTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALPI-IEUS FAY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. A

CREAM-SEPARATOR AND CI-IURN.

Application filed February 18, 1911.

cream to extract the butter, by a combinedl mechanical and aerating treatment.

My invention also has for its object the performance of .other processes in connection with the treatment of crealn, milk or butter, where a mechanical agitation or aeration or both may be necessary or desirable.

The processes to which my invention is most applicable will hereinafter be more fully set forth.

My invention consists in the provision of a novel arrangement of driving mechanism, and the combination therewith of a peculiar form of agitators for imparting a centrifugal movement to the liquid, as well as a peculiar positioning of the agitators whereby the induction of currents in the liquid is facilitated.

My invention also consists in the details of construction and arrangement hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

The drawing forming part of this specification illustrates an embodiment of my invention, being a vertical elevation of same, with the vessel and the gears, as well as one of the agitators, shown in section.

In this illustration the two agitators l are of such design as to produce a centrifugal impelling effect on the liquid, as will be described, and each is mounted on a shaft 2, which shafts are journaled at 2 in the bracket 3 that extends across the top of the vessel 4, and is suitably clamped thereto, as will be more fully described. Above their bearings in the bracket the shafts have bevel pinions 2a secured to them, and bear in additional bearings 2 above the pinions. One of the bevel gears 2a is in mesh with a bevel gear 5, and the other one is in mesh with a bevel gear 5, both of which are mounted to rotate in vertical planes loosely on a hori- Zontal driving shaft 52', that has bearings 5a ,Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

serial No. 609,454.

in the bracket 3, flanking the pinions 2n. The agitators l are adjustable on the shafts 2, and in operation are adjusted so that they are in juxtaposition, andthereby act upon the liquid as brakes to each other, to increase the agitating effect.

A driving gear 5b is rigidly mounted on the shaft 5d between the bevel gears 5 and 5. The bevel gear 5 has a stuc 5c rigidly mounted thereon parallel to the shaft 5, and the dierential gear 5d comprising a member 5d and a member 5d is loosely mounted on this stud 5C, with its member 5d in mesh with the gear 5b, planetary thereto. The other bevel gear 5 has a gear 5e rigidly mounted on it, coaxial with it, and in mesh with the other member 5d of the differential gear 5d, and

is of diameter equal therewith. As shown,

the gear 5b is of twice the diameter of the member 5d of the gear 5d, with which it meshes. Variations of the proportions of these gears may occur, however, it being essential, of course, that the aggregate diameters of the meshing gears be equal, in any case.

From the foregoing description it is evident that the only operative connection between either of the gears 5 and 5 and the shaft 5fL is through the medium of the gear 5b, the differential gear 5d and its stud 5*to the gear 5, and through the intermeshing relation between the differential gear 5d and the gear 5e to the gear 5. This connection thus constituted operates in such a manner that if the resistances imposed upon both gears 5 and 5 be equal, they will be rotated both at the same speed under the influence of the shaft 5, but if the resistance on either of them varies from that on the other, the one encountering the less resistance will rotate faster than the other, in exact inverse proportion to the resistances on the two gears. Since the two agitators are driven independently except through this connection, it will be seen that this correlation exits between the agitators also. It will also be seen that by virtue of this arrangement each of the agitators l provides the reaction for the action in driving the other agitator, so that increased resistance on one agitator, with consequent reduction in speed thereof must result in increased speed of the other agitator. lf the resistances encountered by this other agitator remain the same during the time of increased resistance imposed on the first mentioned agitator, an increase in total energy applied to the machine will be necessary, but the increase will not be as high in proportion to the increased work performed as in a machine with a stationary reactive member and a single moving operative member, as has been the common practice.

Each of the agitators 1 comprises, as shown, a series of superposed rigidly assembled impelling members 1, secured to the lower open end of ,a tubular shaft la, which, in turn, is held in a hub 1b at its upper open end, the hub lb being of open construction to admit atmospheric air to the tubular shaft. This open upper end of said tubular shaft is approximately even with the upper rim of the vessel 4, and to accommodate the hub 1b in proper` position relative to the top of the vessel 4, the bracket 3 has an upwardly arched formation, as illustrated. It will also be seen that in order to have the two agitators at the same height in the vessel, with their impellers opposite, and at the same time preserve the proper proportion between said agitator-s and their driving mechanism, above described, the shafts 2, and consequently, the agitators thereon, are made to converge upwardly to a material extent. This inclination of the agitators has a beneficial effect on the operation of the apparatus, in that the centrifugally projected currents of liquid acquire an upward tendency laterally outward in the vessel, inducing well defined currents in the body of the liquid, and facilitating the distribution of the agitating and aerating action of the apparatus to all of the liquid being operated upon therein.

Each of the members 1 of the impeller consists in a series of radial channels of outwardly increasing triangular cross section `joined by plane web parts, and are advantageously formed of sheet metal; their general contour is circular. The plurality of members l', thus. formed, are secured together so that each succeeding one in the series has the outer part of its channel secured to the plane web of the preceding, and its plane webs secured to the outer parts of the channels of the one succeeding it, as is instanced by the intermediate member of each impeller illustrated, where there are only three members to the series in each impeller. These members are thus secured together by clips l embracing the adjacent parts of each, across their peripheries, and riveted through them. This adds strength to the assembled impeller. The lowermost member has an opening to fit the shaft-2, while the others have openings o-f diameter appro-Ximating that of the interior of the tubular shaft la and alined therewith. Theuppermost impeller is attached to the lower part of said tubular shaft 1a by a collar l, of angular crosssection, having one leg attached to the impeller member and the other to the tubular shaft and fitting snugly t-herear'ound. The hub 1b is secured on the shaft 2 by a set screw lb and has a series of downwardly diverging arms lb having their lower ends connected by a ring lb", which fits sungly around and is attached to the tubular shaft substantially fiush with its upper open end; this allows the open mounting of the tubular shaft, as above alluded to. The shafts 2 extend to the bottom of the vessel and their lower ends have suitable step bearings 2", as shown. This steadies the shafts, and the fitting of the lowermost member of the impeller to the shaft, steadies the impellers on the shafts. The hub 1b and the collar 1a 1n-ay be of cast metal and both may be of integral formation, including, in the case of the hub, its ring 1V.

The bracket 3 is formed integral, including the lower and upper bearings for the shafts 2, the flanking bearings for the shaft 521 and the arched main part. with its vesselengaging and clamping means. At one side this clamp comprises a downward and inturned lug 3, integral with the bracket7 and at the other side a simple boss corresponds in position and has an opening admitting the upward passage of the straight threaded part of an inturned hook bolt receiving a lthumb-nut 3, by which the entire bracket may be tightened on the vessel. Ears Ll are secured to the vessel near its rim, outside, for the lug and the hook bolt to engage under. The vessel has an outlet. 4a, suitably controlled, and a handle 6 is secured to the shaft 5a at one side for manual operation.

My invention is most advantageously used in the separating and churning above mentioned. 1n this process, fresh sweet milk is placed in the vessel t, almost filling it, the agitators 1 being adjusted to their uppermost p0- sition, as they are illustrated in the drawing, so that the upper o-pen ends of the tubular shafts la are above the surface of the liquid. The milk is then agitated by the operation of the mechanism, the agitators exerting a centrifugal impelling effect on the milk, as above stated, and setting up currents in the liquid to produce complet-e circulation throughout the body of liquid, and producing a partial vacuum in the central regions of the impellers by the displacement of the liquid therefrom, which induces a downward circulation of air through the tubular shafts l, which air is readily distributed along with the liquid, throughout the body of liquid, under the centrifugal action., and thoroughly aerating the milk. The. milk is preferably introduced into the vessel at a temperature of from t() to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, while the air entering the liquid is of atmospheric temperature, or about 60 or 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and of substantially the atmospheric pressure. After the milk has been agitated and aerated in the above manner for a period of from live t'o ten minutes, the cream will be in proper condition to separate in its entirety, upon which the agitation is discontinued and the liquid allowed to rest for a few minutes, until the separation of the cream from the milk has become complete, and the cream has risen to the top of the vessel. Then the skimmed milk is drawn olf through the outlet 4a, leaving the separated cream in the vessel. By varying the body of skimmed'milk drawn off, the cream may be left with any ordinary percentage of butter fat desired. fter the desired proportion of skimmed milk has been withdrawn, the agitation is resumed to perform the churning operation, the agitators 1 being lowered to the proper positions on the shafts 2 to properly operate on the reduced quantity of liquid now left in the vessel. The temperature of the cream in the vessel will now have risen to approximately the atmospheric temperature, or to from 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, and the churning agitation is continued at this temperature until the butter is separated from the cream, which .will ordinarily require about from three to five minutes of time. The butter may then be removed and worked in the usual manner, and for conveniently removing the butter, the bracket 3 may be read-ily removed from the vessel along with the agitators l on their shafts 2, leaving free access to the vessel and leaving the en.

tire interior of the vessel smooth and with an entire absence of projections or crevices, facilitating a thorough removal of the butter and permitting a thorough cleansing of the interior of the vessel after the residue from the churning has been withdrawn through the outlet 4a. 1f desired, the skimmed milk that was previously withdrawn may be now added to the residue from churning before withdrawal thereof, and the agitators 1 be again introduced into the liquids in the vessel and operated to thoroughly mix them, resulting in the production of a good serviceable fresh sweet milk, which contains all the natural solids of the milk except the butter fats, and which has the natural flavors of the fresh .whole milk.

A poor quality of butter may be operated upon, to improve it, by the use of my invention, placing such butter in a suitable amount of pure water in the vessel and agitating it and aerating it in the manner above described in connection with the account of the separating and churning operations, and at a temperature of 50 or 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Thus the butter may be granulated, permitting a most efficient purifying action of the air thereon and o-f the water in the vessel, which may be withdrawn and fresh water introduced, as may be required, the entire operation resulting in producing the butter granules in a neutral state, with their impurities eliminated. These neutral granules may then be removed and salted and worked and otherwise treated according to good practice in the production of marketable and palatable fresh butter, with which it is identical. lVIoreover, if desired, these granules may be mixed with sweet milk to produce a high quality of cream of any desired percent-age of butter fat, of smooth consistency, thoroughly fresh sweet and pure, and adaptable for all of t-he uses that good cream is usually employed in. The combined aeration and agitation is an especially desirable featureof all of the operations in the processes herein described.

Other advantageous uses will be suggested in the employment of my invention, and divers minor modications may occur in its use, and I therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein illustrated and described as examples of the embodiment of my invention, but

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a device of the character described, hollow agitators, shafts on which the agitators are mounted and with which they rotate, and driving means for said shafts, the agitators being juxtaposed so that their peripheries do not intersect, and said shafts being inclined from the agitators so that they converge to said driving means.

2. In a device of the character described, agitators, shafts with which the agitators rotate, and driving means for said shafts, said agitators being juxtaposed so that their peripheries do not intersect, and said driving means being adapted to drive said agitators non-synchronously.

3. 1n a device of the character described, hollow agitators juxtaposed so that their peripheries do not intersect, shafts with which the agitators rotate, pinions on the shafts, gears meshing with the pinions, a driving` shaft, and correlative gearing contained between said gears around said shaft, said gears being separated only suiiicient to contain said gearing between them, and said shafts being convergent from said agitators to said gears.

il., 1n a device of the character described, hollow agitators, each comprising upper and lower web parts with continuous peripheries of substantially circular contour, said agitators being juxtaposed with their peripheries separated but inclined toward each shafts being convergent Yfrom said agitators other, shafts with Which the agitators rotate, to said remote ends adjacent said series of pinions on the shafts near their ends regear teeth, for the purposes set forth.

mote from the agitators, and means having ALPHEUS FAY. series of gear teeth respectively meshing VitnesseS:

with the pinions, said series of gear teeth H. M. FAY,

being relatively close together, and' said r ANNIE L. CARSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

